MARS — Earthling cats are scrambling to buy land on Mars after the NASA Mars Rover “Opportunity” issued photographs depicting a number of catnip plants growing in the wild on Mars. Several companies are already issuing Martian deeds for as low as UK £19.95 for one acre of Mars land, which is a great bargain compared to a Mars Meteorite which can run up to $99 US. The price difference is supposedly related to delivery costs.
To buy land on Mars, first a cat must research the Martian real estate market and of course study geological maps to discern exactly which locations would be the best for Catnip farming. Since the climate on Mars is very arid, the catnip will most likely be extremely potent, especially if it is cultivated with a little feline assistance. Although the planet can not sustain feline or even human life at this time, it is not unthinkable that within our lives we could see colonies of intelligent life building around this impressive, vegetative locale.
This is what NASA had to say about the photographs:
Opportunity’s Outcrop Outing
This composite of three images from the navigation camera shows the view from NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity toward the southeast, in the direction of “Victoria Crater,” on the rover’s 817th Martian day, or sol (May 12, 2006). To reach Victoria Crater, still about 1,100 meters (two-thirds of a mile) from this location, the rover must navigate among the large ripples visible on the left and ahead in the distance.
On this sol, Opportunity was preparing to deploy its arm instrument suite to analyze a rock on the outcrop pavement. At upper right is a small depression that was the target of further imaging on sols 825 and 826 (May 20 and 21, 2006).
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell
Of course, as is typical with any government documentation, they did not give any notice to the catnip plants, as they also did not give notice to the gravel-paved walkways that are obviously accompanying the plants. Cats are therefore urged to proceed with caution and make sure that when they buy land on Mars. They should check all paperwork to be sure that it is legally binding and that the catnip plants will come with the property.
The cat who is able to call himself the first catnip farmer on Mars will surely be a legend.